Ode to Nightmares
by BannerFanner
Summary: "Tony's breaths refused to pass his lips. His head spun wildly, and his heart seized up. He'd faced enough of these to know it was a panic attack. Bruce was hurt, and all because he'd had a nightmare." Dreams are just dreams, but sometimes, they have real-world consequences. Tony is about to find this out the hard way. (Science Bros friendship.)


**A/N: To really understand a lot of this story, you need to have at least seen Iron Man 3, as it is set after that. This is a pretty introspective piece, as I wanted to flesh out Tony's anxiety and add another cause of it. Something like that doesn't just stop all of a sudden. Mild whump. Science Bros friendship. Enjoy! x  
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Bruce had trouble sleeping. Not that this was anything new. Sometimes he would get out of bed because his pulse had risen in the night, then wander around the newly-christened Avengers tower long after it had calmed. Bruce had stayed for awhile, been a good friend and listened to Tony's problems, but, somehow, Tony had convinced him to stay even longer, giving him his own room and lab. It was more than he had ever expected, and he was basking in the chance to simply stay still.

He would lose himself in these stolen moments, trying to shake away the anger and pain that pulled him from rest in the first place.

Now somewhere in the centre of the tower, Bruce's eyes drew slowly closed, his body swaying gently in the dimness of the city lights that spilled in from the glass walls around him. In his right hand, his glasses dangled freely, and his bare toes spread comfortably on the cold floor. He stood there for awhile.

Soon enough, however, a grunting, moaning noise disturbed him. Bruce sighed - he must have wandered up to Tony and Pepper's floor. Somewhat embarrassed by the persisting noise, Bruce drifted to the elevator and pressed the button for it to open, his cheeks flushed pink.

Come to think of it, the noise sounded like Tony. _Just_ Tony. As he was starting to worry, Pepper's voice broke through, muffled a bit, but still intelligible. Bruce was trying not to listen. He stepped into the elevator. It made a ding sound, and he held his breath that the others wouldn't hear it.

'Bruce!' cried Pepper. 'Help!'

That was all it took for Bruce to leap through the closing doors and run over to Tony and Pepper's room. He hadn't known its exact location, but it was easy enough to follow Pepper's desperate pleading. He pushed the door open forcefully.

Pepper sat on her knees in the middle of the bed, her black singlet falling off her shoulders and her legs entangled in the sheets. She fixed Bruce with a tear-stained expression that could only be described as falling apart. She didn't know what to do.

On the far end of the bed, Tony writhed, his chest heaving violently. He held his pillow to his chest, sobbing into the fabric.

'He won't wake up,' explained Pepper, her lips parting sadly. 'Help him.' She didn't ask, because she didn't have to.

Bruce snapped to Tony's side, placing a gentle hand on the billionaire's cheek.

'Tony, it's just a dream, you're all right,' he whispered. 'You've got to wake up. You're worrying Pepper.' He smiled gently.

'Monster,' slurred Tony, thrashing out of Bruce's grip. Bruce climbed up onto the bed and leaned over Tony, his pokerface falling away.

'It's OK, you're going to be OK,' said Bruce.

'No!' Tony sat bolt upright, and several things happened at once. His fist flew out of his pillow, closed around a long, jagged knife. He thrust it forward. The stainless steel blade melted into Bruce's stomach, the movement so fast that he had no chance to dodge it. Tony's eyes finally fluttered open, and when they did, their glazed indifference quickly became shock.

Bruce soundlessly backed away from the bed, clutching the knife that protruded from his middle. He'd known that Tony was taking extra precautions ever since his old home was destroyed by the Mandarin, but he'd never expected this.

'Bruce!' Tony untangled himself from the sheets and flew to the scientist. Bruce pulled the knife out and threw it weakly, letting it bounce across the carpet. A dangerous green tinted his skin. He growled and staggered out of the room. Tony looked helplessly to Pepper for a beat, and felt his guilt multiplied by her horrified gaze. He wasn't sure if he could bear it, but he went out after Bruce.

He was too late. The relatively empty space was completely trashed, the single table thrown against the wall, and Tony's blueprints ripped down - not to mention the suspiciously foot-shaped holes in the floor. Opposite his door, a bloody handprint gripped the plaster. Further off, in a perfect before and after, a larger handprint was smudged along, like Bruce had dragged it painfully.

Tony's breaths refused to pass his lips. His head spun wildly, and his heart seized up. He'd faced enough of these to know it was a panic attack. Bruce was hurt, and all because he'd had a nightmare. A thought clicked.

Bruce was still in the room. Or, rather, the _Hulk _was.

Tony whipped around. A towering shadow stood in the corner, watching him bitterly, but also with uncharacteristic restraint. He was keeping a hand over the deep wound to his abdomen, and his eyes flashed with pain.

'Hey there, Big Guy,' Tony said quietly. The Hulk's mouth split into a scowl, a low, rumbling growl burning in his throat. 'I know, I know. I did bad. Are you OK?'

The Hulk roared, the colour draining from his face at the effort. He said slowly, 'Tin Man hurt Hulk.'

'I'm so sorry, Big Guy. I didn't mean to.' It was a useless, and ultimately untrue excuse. Tony had never meant to hurt Bruce, but he was 100% driven to stab the looming figure in his dreams. Pepper's head emerged from the bedroom, her fingers shaking. The Hulk turned to her. His legs spread in a protective stance, and Tony realised, astonished, that he was afraid of them.

Almost nothing could hurt the Hulk, but Bruce was vulnerable. Bruce was human. Tony remembered what the scientist had let slip that day on the Helicarrier: that he'd put a bullet in his mouth, only to have the Hulk spit it out. How long had it taken for the green guy to heal? How long had Bruce been transformed in order to walk away from that?

The Hulk swayed. Not in the serene way that Bruce had earlier, but in an unsteady, ready-to-collapse way. He wasn't dealing with just a bullet, but a deeper, more damaging wound, and it was draining him fast.

Tony stepped forward, shooing Pepper earnestly. 'What can I do for you?'

'Hurts.' The Hulk sat down, pulling his head back in anguish and letting out a strangled howl.

'Hey, Jolly Green, I don't think all of New York could hear you yet,' said Tony. As per usual, he retreated behind humour, though now he needed it more than ever. Because now he finally knew how Bruce felt, having to control the Hulk within him. If Tony let his defense crumble, the attacks would wash over him again, and he would be lost to himself.

Trying to focus on the present, Tony slowly approached the Hulk. When he got close enough to reach out and touch the messy wound, the Hulk's eyes burst open - distrustful, but not quite alert.

'I'm gonna get some bandages, and see if we can't tidy you up. If you haven't healed by the time you shrink down, I'll take you to the hospital. You're probably bleeding internally, and...er...things.' Tony faltered. This wasn't his area of expertise, and it was certainly the first time he'd had to apply any form of first-aid to a giant green man.

The Hulk grimaced and shuffled deeper into the corner of the room, still holding his stomach. His eyes fell shut once more, saying, rather clearly to Tony, that their interactions were now over.

Tony, stubbornly true to his word, retrieved a roll of gauze and a large towel from downstairs. With a motion so gentle that it rivalled his work in the cave in Afghanistan, Tony cleaned the blood and moved to apply the bandage, but this proved too much for the Hulk, who reflexively swung out his arm, sending Tony flying through the air. He crashed against the far wall, the glass of which was thankfully reinforced, and slid down, coughing. Pepper rushed out, obviously having listened in the whole time with patient concern. She fussed over him, then glanced to the Hulk, her eyes betraying a conflicted mix of anger and empathy.

'Tony, he's not going to let you do any more,' she said, wrapping her arms under his to help him to his feet. 'I know you didn't mean to hurt him, and Bruce knows that. You've just got to give him time, and you two can sort it out.'

Tony let her drag him away. Dark circles hung under his eyes, and his skin had taken on a waxy, tired pallor. His nightmare had drained him, like it had Bruce, and it was still continuing.

When they entered the bedroom, Tony instantly gravitated to Pepper's side - the one furthest from the bloody knife on the floor. He curled up in a fetal position on top of the covers, biting his lip resentfully. He laughed. There was nothing else to fill the emptiness but guilt, so he just laughed and, eventually, drifted into a fitful sleep. Bruce filled his head. Those once soft and kind, but now haunted features danced in and out of a burning flame, transforming back and forth between his regular self and the Hulk.

'Monster,' whispered Tony, as the dream switched back to what it always did - to _Aldrich Killian standing behind him, eyes glowing wickedly. Pepper was falling, fell, and Tony didn't catch her. He didn't catch her. Killian had caused all this, had weakened him and torn his world apart. He was a monster. _

_Tony sat on that platform, chest heaving, ready to fall apart. Suddenly, Bruce appeared beside him. His shirt was torn and bloody where the knife had pierced his skin, but he was smiling gently, and he took Tony's shoulder without a word. Killian growled and lunged for the scientist, but Tony stepped between them and brought out his knife. He thrust it forward. He didn't care if he got burned anymore. _

'Tony!'

He woke in a sweat, gasping for air. Pepper was fully dressed in a crisp, clean, but somehow very sexy pantsuit, her hair tied up neatly. She watched him warily.

'I had to get up early this morning, despite the events of last night,' she said. 'I tried to let you sleep in...'

'Bad dreams,' said Tony, shakily. 'I don't mind being woken up. What time is it?'

'It's midday, Tony.'

'Where's Bruce?'

Pepper lowered her gaze. Were those tears pricking at her waterline? Tony scrambled into a sitting position, hoping against hope that it was just the harsh sunlight, or maybe dust particles, or tiny alien beings that harvested eyeballs. Anything else.

'What's happened? Is he…?' Tony's mouth dried up.

Pepper clutched her clipboard to her chest, voice wavering as she said, 'He's gone, Tony. Bruce has gone.'

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_**A/N: Yes, there will definitely be a sequel to this. Anyway, review? They fuel my writing fire, haha. If you see any mistakes, please tell me. I don't have my work beta'd.**_


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